January 2017 VOICE Magazine

J A NU A RY 2017

TH UR STON C OUN TY C H AMBE R OF C OMME R C E

The Business of Art

M

A

G

A

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An interview with The Washington Center's Jill Barnes

Page 12

The State of the Community

Page 23

$11 Min. Wage & What it means B U I L D I N G C O M MU N I T Y P R OS P E R I T Y F OR OV E R 1 4 0 YEAR S

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Featuring...

CONTENT & CALENDAR

Every month, the Thurston County Chamber offers several networking events, forums & workshops to the community. Here are some highlights you won't want to miss.

In this issue...

6 Caught in the Lens

Jan n. 3

MM at Derma Medical Spa

Photos from Chamber events.

JJoin us at Derma Medical Spa on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 7:30 a.m. for Morning Mixxer. Enjoy plenty of coffee, breakfast treats and great conversation. Where? 3025 Limited Ln NW #100, Olympia.

8 Advocacy Update

Jan. 5

Young Professionals at 222 Market Y The Thurston Chamber Young Professionals Network (YPN) is a great place to interact with younger business professionals in a low-pressure environment. Join us at for after hours Jan. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at 222 Market, 222 Capitol Way N, Olympia.

Jan. 11

Forum: State of the Community On Wed., Jan. 11, at 11:30 a.m., representatives from Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Yelm, and Thurston County will collectively present a State of the Community address. Please

note, Forum is at Saint Martin's Norman Worthington Center this month.

Jan. 19

Steamboat Tennis & Athletic Club JJoin Business After Hours host Nicholson & Associates Insurance at the Steamboat Tennis & Athletic Club on Thurs., Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m. Enjoy drinks, appetizers and the chance to tour this amazing new facility located at 3505 Steamboat Island Road Northwest, Olympia.

Ja an. 25

Bush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan Update

12 The State of the Community Leaders from the County, Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Yelm report on successes, challenges and new initiatives.

19 The Business of Art We kick off our new series, The Business of Art, with a conversation with The Washington Center's Jill Barnes.

Distinguished Leader Awards

23

The 16th annual Distinguished Leaders Awards celebration

Minimum Wage

will take place on Wed. Jan. 25, 2017 at the Hotel RL Olympia.

The evening begins with a reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner and the program at 6:30 p.m. Reserve your spot today at www.thurstonchamber.com

What you need to know about the minimum wage increase to $11 per hour.

For more event information, please visit www.thurstonchamber.com

www.thurstonchamber.com

Thurston County Chamber VOICE  January 2017 3

Community Building is a Team Effort PUBLISHER Thurston County Chamber of Commerce

EDITORIAL Editor: David Schaffert Phone: (360) 357-3362 Email: dschaffert@thurstonchamber.com

CONTRIBUTORS

I

n this issue of the VOICE Magazine

rather than working in silos, as in the

we include a report from the cities

past, the leadership teams from each

of Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and

jurisdiction now meet with each other

Yelm as well as from Thurston

on a quarterly basis. Ryder believes in

County. This information precedes

the regional approach and believes that

our annual State of the Community

together we can make greater strides

Forum which takes place the second Wednesday of January.

Natasha Ashenhurst David Schaffert

Why both? Why a report and a Forum? Aren’t

Jessica Coen

you duplicating effort?

Matthew Erlich, Dept. of L&I

That answer is yes and no. We know that 250

Sales and Marketing: Marny Bright,

of you will attend Forum to hear the State of

Beth Johnson, Korey Twombly or Blake

the Community address and network with

Phone: (360) 357-3362

our elected officials. For those attending

Email: info@thurstonchamber.com

Forum, take the time to read the article (p.12)

SUBSCRIPTIONS Phone: (360) 357-3362 Email: info@thurstonchamber.com

as a way to prepare to engage one-on-one with your elected representatives at Forum.

For those of you who are not able to attend Forum—roughly 2550 of our readers—this

DESIGN

article provides an excellent briefing from

Mosaic Marketing Studio

our local government.

Washington Center for the Performing Arts. The painting in the background was done by her husband, Nathan Barnes.

Photo by Heather Harris, Elements Photography

One theme we are hearing from each jurisdiction is recognition that a team approach produces results.

Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder points out that

PRINTING

in part, 12 years ago when the Chamber the Shared Legislative Agenda (SLA) for our community. The legislative requests that resulted from the SLA have had significant impacts on capital funding for our region. It also set in motion a model of how we can work together and leverage each other.

Working in a collaborative fashion is not always easy and it is important to recognize it often takes greater energy and resources to do so, but the payoff

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Jill Barnes in her office at The

We believe this team approach began, convened local governments to create

ADVERTISING

Knoblauch

than we could going alone.

of alignment and greater effectiveness is worth the extra effort. Give credit to local elected officials for the team effort that is now prevalent in the community and to the Chamber for creating a vehicle that has served the community well in achieving a common agenda. ●

Print NW

By, David Schaffert, THURSTON COUNTY CHAMBER PRESIDENT/CEO & Jessica Coen, THURSTON COUNTY CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS, CHAIR

CONTACT THE CHAMBER PO Box 1427 809 Legion Way SE Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 357-3362 Email: info@thurstonchamber.com Website: www.thurstonchamber.com

THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY INVESTORS

COPYRIGHT

DIAMOND INVESTORS:

All material appearing in the VOICE Magazine is copyright unless otherwise stated or it may rest with the provider of the supplied material. The VOICE Magazine takes all care to ensure information is correct at time of printing, but the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of any information contained in the text or advertisements.

Anchor Bank Capital Medical Center Heritage Bank Phillips Burgess Washington Port of Olympia Xerox Services

PLATINUM INVESTORS America's Credit Union - Lacey Lucky Eagle Casino & Hotel Mills & Mills Funeral Home & Memorial Park

4 • January 2017 Thurston County Chamber VOICE

Morningside Olympia Federal Savings Olympia Orthopaedic Associates Print NW Providence St. Peters Saint Martin's University TwinStar Credit Union Washington Business Bank

GOLD INVESTORS First Citizens Bank Cabinets by Trivonna Columbia Bank The Creative Office GHB Insurance Great Wolf Lodge Hometown Property Management

Jessica Jensen Law PS Nicholson & Associates Nisqually Red Wind Casino Olympia Furniture Company Pardiman Productions Puget Sound Energy RHD Enterprises Hotel RL Olympia Saint Martin’s University SCJ Alliance TAGS

www.thurstonchamber.com

Caught in the Lens...

6 • January 2017 Thurston County Chamber VOICE

A collection of photos taken at Chamber events during December 2016

www.thurstonchamber.com

Dec. 2016 Events, including: YPN at Mediterranean Breeze, Morning Mixxer at Weichert Realtors, Boss of the Year Forum, a new solar panel ribbon cutting at T Brothers Liquor Lodge, a grand reopening at Hampton Inn and Business After Hours at Capital Events Center with catering by Elyse's Catering.

WE’RE BUILDING SO YOU CAN, TOO Meet Michael Kelly, one of two new members of the expanding Phillips Burgess legal team. A cum laude graduate of Gonzaga University School of Law, Michael is a distinguished veteran of the U.S. Army.

He will work out of the firm’s Olympia office and focus his practice on business law and real estate transactions.

ĈăąƎ +(1) % Ǝ 0čƎ ĎƎ 1%0!ƎĄăāĎƎ (5),% ĎƎ ƎƎĊĉĆāĂƎƎēƎƎĄćāčĈąăčĄĆāā ĆāĆƎ .+ 3 5ĎƎ 1%0!ƎąāĉĎƎ +) ĎƎ ƎƎĊĉąāăƎƎēƎƎăĆĄčăĊăčććąā mkelly@phillipsburgesslaw.com

www.thurstonchamber.com

WWW.PHILLIPSBURGESSLAW.COM

Thurston County Chamber VOICE  January 2017 7

ADVOCACY UPDATE

creating a positive climate for business and community One of the Thurston County Chamber’s primary missions is advocacy, which can take many forms—providing beneficial services and products to Chamber members; supporting nonprofit, education and government organizations; and, of course, lobbying government bodies on issues impacting business and community.

Here is an issue we are actively engaged in this month:

The Bush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan The Bush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is being developed to balance growth and the preservation of endangered species within the City of Tumwater and its urban growth area. The City of Tumwater and the Port of Olympia are jointly developing the Habitat Conservation Plan through the terms of an Interlocal Agreement. The HCP will provide for long-term preservation and management of three species, protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, that occur in Tumwater: Olympia pocket gopher, streaked horned lark, and Oregon spotted frog.

The City and Port will be working through 2017 to lay the groundwork for the plan. Public meetings will be held in late 2017. A draft plan is expected to be ready for public review soon afterwards, with the plan being finalized and implemented later in 2018. HCPs allow communities to continue to operate—business as usual—while mitigating the impact on these species. The Chamber is participating in the stakeholders group.

Briggs Village Text Amendment Briggs Village is the only “Urban Village” in Olympia’s comprehensive plan. Currently drive-throughs are generally not supported in the Urban Village code. The request by owner is to expand the OMC 18.05.060 and 18.05A.095 to allow drive-throughs for restaurants, pharmacies, and other pedestrian-oriented/walk-in businesses, in addition to banks. Drive-throughs would be limited to a single lane.

In December, the Briggs Village proposed text amendment was approved by the planning council and is now on the Olympia City Council’s consent calendar for passage. The Chamber provided testimony to the planning commission.

8 • January 2017 Thurston County Chamber VOICE

www.thurstonchamber.com

Thurston Green celebrates business sustainability Apply today!

Thurston Green Business designation applications are open Jan. 1 - Mar. 15. Apply online at www.thurstongreenbusiness.com

S

aving water, conserving energy, reducing waste and buying or selling green are all sustainable steps that improve the health

of our community and environment. Businesses who take these steps to lower their environmental footprint find that they save money while protecting and preserving resources. In Thurston County, businesses who take one or all of these stewardship steps receive recognition for their efforts when they become a Thurston Green Business. It’s easy and FREE to join. Applications accepted Jan. 1 through Mar. 15, 2017.

Apply today! It's free! Visit www.thurstongreenbusiness.com www.thurstonchamber.com

Thurston County Chamber VOICE  January 2017 9

10 • January 2017 Thurston County Chamber VOICE

www.thurstonchamber.com

CHAMBER FORUM

State of the Community Address

O

n Wednesday,

one-on-one networking setting.

January 11, Tumwater Mayor

Students from the Reeves Middle

Pete Kmet, Yelm

School Alki Program will be in

Mayor Pro Tem

attendance as part of their studies of

Tracey Wood,

local government.

Olympia Mayor Cheryl Selby, Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder and Thurston

Forum includes lunch. The cost is

County Commissioner Bud Blake will

$35 for general admission, $25 for

collectively present a State of the

prepaid Chamber members, and $30

Community address at the Thurston

for members at the

Chamber's January Forum.

door.

Please note: This month's Forum is held at Saint Martin University's Norman

Reservations for

Worthington Center.

the State of the Community Forum

Every year, leaders from the

are strongly advised.

community share their perspectives on current issues and future prospects.

Visit www.

Leaders will illustrate the important

thurstonchamber.

steps and investments made this past

com or call the

year to grow our local economy and

Chamber at

promote new employment.

360.357.3362. The Forum Sponsor is

This is an opportunity to engage

Puget Sound Energy.●

business and community leaders in a

Thurston Chamber Forum Wed., Jan. 11, 11:30 a.m.

Saint Martin's Norman Worthington Center www.thurstonchamber.com Thank you to our Forum sponsor, Puget Sound Energy.

www.thurstonchamber.com

Students from the Reeves Middle School Alki Program will attend, once again, the State of the Community Address as part of their studies of local government. If you are interested in sponsoring a student's lunch, please call the Chamber at 360.357.3362

“Rick is an excellent aƩorney. One with vast experience and keen knowledge of the law. I recommend him for his unprecedented skills in this arena.” — Parella Lewis, SeaƩle-area news personality and client.

Advancing his clients’ legal interests since 1987 Employment law Contracts Real estate Government Call (360) 464-6533 www.richardhugheslaw.com 324 West Bay Dr. NW, Ste. 201, Olympia

Thurston County Chamber VOICE  January 2017 11

the state of the community report EVERY JANUARY, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THURSTON COUNTY, OLYMPIA, LACEY, TUMWATER AND YELM SPEAK AT THE CHAMBER FORUM'S STATE OF THE COMMUNITY ADDRESS. THIS YEAR, WE ASKED THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO WRITE ABOUT THE SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES OF 2016 AND SHARE 2017'S NEW INITIATIVES FOR THE VOICE. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THEIR REMARKS AND THEN ATTEND FORUM ON WED., JAN. 11 AT THE NORMAN WORTHINGTON CONFERENCE CENTER. THERE, OFFICIALS WILL TAKE PART IN A MODERATED DISCUSSION ON TOPICS RANGING FROM EXPECTED POPULATION GROWTH, TO TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AND HOUSING. part of the Old Olympia Brewery.

This is intended to streamline the process for preservation and future redevelopment of the properties north of Custer Way. The City also acquired the historic Old Brewhouse Tower at the base of Tumwater Falls.

2.

annexation in Tumwater history,

Tumwater: Mayor Kmet’s Report Tumwater is Celebrating...

Annexation – Completed the largest over 2.5 square miles northeast of the airport, bringing in over 3,200 residents and numerous businesses.

3.

Summer Youth Employment

During 2016, Tumwater made significant

Program – in partnership with

progress in several areas. Three areas

Garden Raised Bounty (GRuB)

in particular I would like to highlight

and Boys and Girls Club, provided

are:

summer jobs for 32 high school

1.

Brewery - With the assistance of

students. This program not only

funding from the Department

helped the students learn job and

of Ecology, completed an

life skills and earn a paycheck, but

Environmental Impact Statement

also gave them an opportunity to

and SEPA Planned Action for

learn more about the services the

redevelopment of the most historic

City provides and grow food for the

12 • January 2017 Thurston County Chamber VOICE

community.

Tumwater’s Challenges One of our biggest challenges has been the extraordinary increase in court related costs from some $300,000 just a few years ago, to over $850,000 projected for 2017. This is driven by many factors not within the control of the City such as new public defense standards and medical costs.

Tumwater’s Priorities for 2017 There is a lot happening in Tumwater.

To give you just a glimpse, in the upcoming year, we are looking forward to the opening of a new Toyota dealership and associated connection of Tyee Drive to Israel Road, opening additional land on the west side of I-5 for development.

We are also hoping to begin preservation

www.thurstonchamber.com

of the historic Old Brewhouse Tower,

percent identify themselves as an

Lacey’s Priorities for 2017

but we will need financial help from

Olympia resident. Long-term, we will

We are bracing for growth. That means

the state and the local community to

work with our regional partners for

working with the county to provide

help make this happen. We are also

financial support.

services for UGA as well as keeping

hoping to secure funding from the state

our roads in excellent condition. The

to equip a new brewing and distilling

We are also celebrating Lacey’s business-

Transportation Benefit District will be

center, as a way to jumpstart interest in

friendly climate—an accomplishment

on the ballot in November, and it will

redevelopment of the Brewery complex.

we have really focused on this past year.

raise sales tax .02 percent, with the funds

In addition, we will be conducting

Economic development is the backbone

going to maintaining the roads in the

over $2 million in street paving and

for how we provide services to the

City. Countywide, roads in our UGA are

restoration work, thanks to a voter

community. This year we worked with

a big issue. Together with the county, we

approved Transportation Benefit

the Economic Development Council

need to figure out how to accommodate

District.

to coordinate meetings with Lacey

the growth that is coming, whether

employers and there has been a lot of

that is keeping our roads in excellent

good information that has come out of

condition or putting parcels with failing

those meetings.

septics on sewer.

Lacey’s Challenges

This past year we began meeting

As we head into the new legislative

quarterly with other mayors and city

session, our region is looking at

managers and rather than work in

transportation funding, specifically for

isolation, we are beginning to think

the I-5 corridor between Mounts Road

regionally. I am excited to continue this

and south of Tumwater. We are thankful

work.

that the transportation package passed,

Andy Ryder, Mayor City of Lacey

Pete Kmet, Mayor City of Tumwater

but now we need another corridor analysis to understand how to move all of the traffic from I-5 through Thurston

Lacey: Mayor Ryder’s Report Lacey is Celebrating...

We have had several success stories.

One is the Lacey Veterans Assistance Hub, which we began working on in 2012. It started out as a mobile van that parked once a week at City Hall, but was immediately overwhelmed by veterans in need. Through a partnership with South Puget Sound Community College, we found a permanent space at the Lacey campus and offer wraparound services, not just mental health, but housing and education services also. Then, we took the project onestep further and brought in compatible nonprofits to provide services as well.

Lacey invested in renting the space and hiring a coordinator. We are finding from initial data that people are traveling from all over Southwest Washington to the Hub, but over 80

County. We have a $5 million ask to look at the issue and it is a huge priority for our region.

Other challenges Lacey faces are population growth and our septic to sewer conversion plan. We have neighborhoods in Lacey’s Urban Growth Area (UGA) that have failing septic systems, yet the cost to convert those to sewer is astronomical. We need to move 10,000 residential and business parcels from septic to sewer and only 1,500 of those are in the city limits, the other 8,500 are in the UGA. Now consider that according to the TRCP we are expecting 20,000 new residents over the next 20 years to end up in our UGA. It is crucial that we come up with a long-term plan for either annexation or to work with the county for a long-term solution. We need to ask if Lacey’s public facilities are adequate for that growth. We need to develop a long-term plan for either annexation or working with the County.

Yelm: Mayor JW Foster’s Report Yelm is Celebrating...

For years, people have complained about traffic congestion in Yelm, which is a significant problem in the summer when people travel to Mount Rainier.

Because of the diligence and cooperation of previous city leadership working with JBLM, legislators and the Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRCP), we were able to get the state to begin the 510 Bypass Loop five years ago and expect completion by 2022.

Continued on page 15 www.thurstonchamber.com

Thurston County Chamber VOICE  January 2017 13

Join us...

We are headed to New York City March 3, 2017 ● 6 p.m.

Cocktails ● Dinner ● Auction● After Party Hotel RL Olympia $125 per person Sponsorships Available www.thurstonchamber.com Presented by:

On a personal level, we entered 2016

Tenino—all the way to the Nisqually

hundreds of additional units of market-

with a lot of upheaval on the city council

River so that it will go from Yelm to

rate housing and the fact that we are

with the addition of three new council

McKenna.

seeing new businesses opening weekly.

JW Foster, Mayor City of Yelm

Olympia’s Challenges

members. Since August, we have made a concerted effort to bring the council together and we have been successful.

Today, we are a cohesive council

Olympia, like many communities up and down the I-5 corridor, continues

working well together.

to struggle with taking care of our most vulnerable populations. I am

Yelm’s Challenges

encouraged that we are now thinking

We are a city of 8,500, but we have a

more regionally about how to house

service population of 45,000 people

more people. That may look different for

coming to Yelm to do their shopping and

each city, but we can all agree to work

take their kids to school. This places a

strategically together. This issue is bigger

burden on our local budget. It is hard

than Olympia alone.

to provide the services we want. Yelm was hurt by the recession and we still personnel doing more work. We need to rebuild our economy. That is our challenge. We need to improve the

looking at increasing our inventory of affordable rental units. Likewise, decreasing homelessness by seeking

It was quite the year for Olympia. We

fund our services.

accomplished so much already as we prepare for the next 20 years of growth.

Yelm’s Priorities for 2017 Yelm is geographically isolated from

strategy, and we were

than a destination. I see that changing

public participation

example, is widely regarded as an

2. Public Safety - specifically funding a

and partnership with

excellent place to watch a movie. It

Call 360-616-1749

stakeholders.

features an upgraded lobby with a

We can celebrate that

21-year-old only area making it perfect

we have increased

for a date night. Yelm also has great

the level of private

parks and an incredible trail system.

sector confidence in our downtown

One of the projects I intend to work on is

as demonstrated by

extending the Yelm/Tenino Trail—which

the construction of

becomes the Chehalis Western Trail at

and chemical dependency issues.

Integrity, Excellence and Focus For your legal and tax needs

thrilled with the

dramatically. Our new cinema, for

individuals experiencing mental health

Continued on page 17

two of our downtown

Yelm as a city to pass through rather

funding for supportive housing for those

full time walking patrol, body camera

We completed phase

the rest of the county. Some view

www.thurstonchamber.com

1. Increase housing affordability by

Olympia is Celebrating...

economic base and find creative ways to

Olympia’s Priorities for 2017

Olympia: Mayor Selby’s Report

have not recovered—resulting in fewer

• • • • • •

,

Let me help with:

Tax Preparation and Filing Elder law, Estate Planning Probate, Trusts Government, Municipal Law Public Finance and 103 Law Tax

VICTORIA S. BYERLY, P.S. A T T O R N E Y A T L AW

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16 • January 2017 Thurston County Chamber VOICE

www.thurstonchamber.com

Continued from page 15 implementation, enhancing our

facility, licensed by the Washington

community court capacity and scoping a

State Department of Health, to assist

citizen's advisory committee.

individuals with mental illness who are

3. Lobbying the legislature to fund

in crisis.

the Capital Lake/Deschutes River Environmental Impact Study. This is the

Next, we are going to do the same thing

next step in developing a management

in Mason County. This is a regional

plan for the future of this critical area to

approach and it is working.

our city.

Thurston County’s Challenges Of course, all of these initiatives will

The Thurston County Board of

require new revenue streams—work the

Commissioners adopted the Land Use

council will tackle this year.

Enforcement Code, Title 26 in February,

The City of Yelm hires new city manager

2015. It has caused quite a stir. The most

Cheryl Selby, Mayor City of Olympia

common enforcement issues relate to land use violations and what the County can do to respond to neighbor concerns about such things as junk vehicles or building without a permit. There is no new criminal enforcement provision, contrary to popular belief and there is no change regarding inspection.

In addition, we will continue to work on the Habitat Conservation Plan. The current projected cost of the HCP is $151

Michael Grayum

we would plan for needs and gaps on a

I

six-month basis, now we have extended

September 1, 2015 to take another job

that to 18 months.

after a stellar career in Yelm.

Mason Behavioral Health Organization

The County is very involved in Thurston

Grayum was one of three City

(TMBHO). The governing board oversees

Thrives, not only as a funder but also

and manages integrated state-funded

as a stakeholder, especially in the areas

mental health and substance use

of law and justice, housing and clinical

disorder programs serving Thurston and

care.

million over 30 years, approximately $5 million per year. The new commission

Thurston County: Commissioner Bud Blake’s Report Thurston County is Celebrating...

In 2014, Thurston and Mason counties

will have to take this on immediately.

Thurston County’s Priorities for 2017 In 2017, the County is adopting a Biennium Prioritized Budget. In the past

n December, Yelm Mayor JW Foster appointed Michael Grayum as City Administrator.

Grayum is the former Mayor of Dupont and replaces

Shelly Badger, who resigned effective

joined to implement the Thurston Administrator candidates interviewed November 16 and comes to Yelm with excellent experience and an outstanding résumé.

Mason counties.

It is also significant to note that for the This year, the TMBHO opened the Mental

first time in Thurston County’s history

Health Triage Center, a 7,500 square

we have three independent county

foot facility at 3285 Ferguson St. SW in

commissioners.

Tumwater. We converted an existing

Bud Blake, County Commission Chairman Thurston County

one-story building into the 10-bed Triage Center. It will operate as a secure 24-hour, 7-days-per-week treatment

www.thurstonchamber.com

Mr. Grayum served as the Mayor of the City of DuPont, Washington, from 20122016. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the University of Washington. He assumed his post Jan. 1, 2017. ●

Thurston County Chamber VOICE  January 2017 17

With no sales goals our team is motivated by just one thing.

YOU.

Honesty. It’s One of our Core Values.

See the rest of our Core Values at

wabizbank.com

THE BUSINESS OF ART

The Transformative Power of the Arts, an Interview with The Washington Center's Jill Barnes Jill Barnes backstage at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts. Photo by Heather Harris, Elements Photography.

by Natasha Ashenhurst

This is the first article in our new series, 'The Business of Art,' where we talk about the role of the arts in creating a vibrant and prosperous community.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to put on some cozy pajamas, pop a bowl of popcorn and curl up on the couch in front of a movie streamed right into our living room?”

How many of us have—perhaps silently—said exactly that when we had tickets to a live performance?

We could stay in and take advantage of an overwhelming number of entertainment options from the comfort of our own home. Why not?

Barnes, executive director of The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, calls the symbiotic relationship between audience members and performers. She believes in the transformative power of the arts and knows that there is nothing— absolutely nothing—like a live performance delivered

Well, because we already paid for those tickets—and maybe we’re meeting up with friends and family for dinner before the show.

So, we push those thoughts aside, put on our coat, hat and scarf and head downtown to watch The Nutcracker ballet, a Ben Folds concert, or take part in the Messiah Sing Along.

And here’s the thing. Once that show is over and the curtain closes, I’ll bet—if you are anything like the rest of us— 99 percent of the time you were so glad you made the effort to get out of the house, drive downtown, find parking (not so bad)

www.thurstonchamber.com

and take part in what Jill

“straight to your eyes and ears and right into your soul.”

That performance might be from one of the 20-plus local artistic partners of the Center, including Ballet Northwest, the Olympia Symphony and the Student Orchestra of Greater Olympia. Or, it might be

Thurston County Chamber VOICE  January 2017 19

an internationally known musician

develop ideas for a dedicated performing

or a Broadway staged show like the

arts center to serve the region.

upcoming presentation of STOMP.

After ruling out property in the Black Lake area, the group began looking for

No matter the performer, experiencing

property downtown. After other sites

or participating in a live performance is

fell through, the committee turned its

the reason for The Center’s existence, a

efforts toward repurposing the Olympic

community jewel that is celebrating 32

Theater movie house. CAAC members

years of providing entertainment and

determined that operations at the new

cultural activities to our region.

performing arts center should follow the model used by other cities and turned

“We provide a first class experience

management over to an independent

not just for our performing artists, but

non-profit.

for all of our community members that participate in the arts. Whether it is a 10-year-old Nutcracker performer or someone playing with the Olympia Symphony, we want both the audience members and the performers to have a first-rate experience,” said Barnes.

History of The Center Before 1985, our region did not have a dedicated performing arts center.

Ballet Northwest's production of Swan Lake on stage at The Center.

The City completely rebuilt the theater and, by 1985, The Washington Center for

The building that houses The

the Performing Arts celebrated its grand

Washington Center began as the old

opening.

Liberty Theater, a 1924 vaudeville house. In 1948, new owners renovated the space and turned it into the Olympic Theater movie house, but it eventually

The City owns The Center’s building and The Washington Center for the Performing Arts is a private, not-for-

fell into disarray.

profit organization with a long-term contract to operate The Center run by a

In 1980, a number of stakeholders led the City of Olympia to create the Cultural Arts Advisory Committee (CAAC) to

board of directors.

In 2014, an extensive facelift renovation

T h e P e r f e c t H o m e S ta r t s W i t h The Perfec t Kitchen 0

s ta r t y o u r s e a r c h w i t h Greene Realty Group

20 • January 2017 Thurston County Chamber VOICE

www.thurstonchamber.com

was completed. Its rejuvenation

the Northwest, even with Seattle, so there

coincided with a rebirth of downtown

has to be critical mass which makes us

with new construction and other

work very closely with each other,” she

renovations springing up nearby, such

explained.

as Thurston First Bank, Three Magnets Brewing Co., and the 321 Lofts.

Barnes’ goal is to complement, not compete, with The Center’s artistic

The Center’s board hired Jill Barnes as

partners and the result is a program that

executive director in 2013, succeeding

has something for everyone. She also

Tom Iovanne, who retired in 2011, and

believes her mandate is to educate our

Robert L. Stewart, The Center’s original

community about the arts.

manager.

One of The Center's artistic partners is

Economic Impact As a non-profit, The Center operates with earned income through ticket sales and facility rental fees, as well as contributed income in the form of individual donations, grants and sponsorships. Barnes says that the contributed income is crucial because it helps them fulfill their mission of providing a first-class space for artistic partners at affordable rates.

The economic impact of The Center is significant. Barnes says that over 100,000 people attend a show every year. That is 100,000 people dining out at downtown restaurants, shopping at boutiques and wandering through art galleries. The Center draws audience members from not only the region, but from as far away as Alaska.

The Center conducts surveys after their shows. From that data, they estimate that 45 percent of respondents dine out beforehand. When people travel further, they are staying at hotels and spend more time—and money—in our region.

Jill Barnes. Photo by Shanna Paxton Photography.

Olympia Junior Programs. This group

The Center is booked for over 280 events

serves anywhere between 20 and 30

350 days each year; bookings that are a

thousand students each year. For many,

combination of shows from the artistic

this is their first introduction to the

partners, and shows The Center brings

performing arts.

in from around the world, community fundraisers and business meetings.

“By experiencing the arts we can learn

Barnes says it is a puzzle to balance the

about other cultures or express our

partners and outside performances.

own culture and ideas," said Barnes.

"Everyone responds to it differently. If

“We work with our artistic partners

you have ever sat in an audience and

and set our schedule two years out. If

have been moved by a song you know

there is a conflict we have a resolution

what I’m talking about. Ultimately, we

committee, but those are rare. Once

are in the business of making memories.

our partners’ dates are booked, we fill

I love to ask people, ‘What is the first

in the rest of the season with outside

performance you remember seeing?’ For

performers, which is one of the most fun

most people, it is a vivid memory. One

and exciting parts of my job,” she says.

that they’ll never forget.”

Barnes does her best to bring a variety

Today, The Center serves as an anchor of

of entertainment to The Center. She goes

the region’s downtown, and it continues

to booking conferences where she meets

to provide the South Puget Sound with

with artists and agents. She gets on the

a world-class performing arts center for

phone with performing arts centers in

local and nationally known performers,

Portland, Bend, Bremerton, Edmonds,

as well as a space for community events.

and Bellingham to work with regional

And whether we visit The Center as a

partners to bring big names to the Pacific

performer or an audience member, we

Northwest.

are taking part in an experience that— ultimately—is worth the effort to get off

“We are geographically isolated here in

the couch, out the door, and into our rich and vibrant community. ●

All photos on this page were taken pre-show at The Center's opening performance An Evening with Rita Moreno, on Thursday, October 13th.

Photography by Shanna Paxton Photography. www.thurstonchamber.com Thurston County Chamber VOICE  January 2017 21

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L&I UPDATE

What you need to know about the minimum wage increase to $11 per hour

T

Submitted by Matthew Erlich, Washington State Department of Labor & Industries

he minimum wage in Washington increased to $11 an hour on Jan. 1, 2017. Since the recent election, the Department of Labor & Industries has received scores of calls asking for clarity on the details of the new law.

The new minimum wage, a result of the passage of Initiative 1433, applies to all jobs, including those in agriculture. Workers under 16 years old can be paid 85 percent of the adult minimum wage, or $9.35 per hour, in 2017. In addition to minimum wage, the initiative addresses paid sick

The Seattle, Tacoma and the City of Department SeaTac have higher minimum of Labor & wage rates for 2017. For employers in those areas, the Industries local minimum wage rate will has received apply as long as it is higher than the state minimum. scores of calls asking for The new law does not change minimum wage exemptions or clarity on the regulations regarding overtime details of the pay. new minimum Since 1998, L&I has been wage law, responsible for calculating the state’s minimum wage each effective Jan. 1, September. Under Initiative 1433, 2017. the minimum wage will increase leave.

to $13.50 by 2020. L&I will resume calculating the minimum wage for calendar years 2021 and beyond.

Paid sick leave starting in 2018 Along with increasing the state minimum wage, the initiative requires employers to provide paid sick leave starting Jan. 1, 2018.

Under the initiative, L&I must adopt rules to enforce the new requirement, including, “...procedures for notification to employees and reporting regarding sick leave, and protecting employees from retaliation for the lawful use of sick leave...”

The official rulemaking process, which will include public comment opportunities, will take place in 2017. Interested parties can sign up for updates on the process on L&I’s Employment Standards Program listserv (Lni.wa.gov/Main/ Listservs/WRWageHour.asp).

Worker rights L&I provides materials to help employers inform workers about the minimum wage and their rights as workers. Employers are required to post L&I’s “Your Rights as a Worker” poster in the workplace. The poster has general information about employment issues. An optional, minimum-wage poster is also available for employers. Both are free from L&I. L&I enforces the state’s wage-and-hour laws. The agency investigates all wage-payment complaints.

More information on Washington’s minimum wage is available on L&I's wage and hour webpage. Employers and workers may also call 360-902-5316 or 1-866-219-7321.

www.thurstonchamber.com

Thurston County Chamber VOICE  January 2017 23

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